Gruss vom Krampus!
…
Happy Holidays! Yuletide Greetings!
…
My friend Adam and I recently got together for a photo shoot with the goal of depicting Krampus.
Krampus? You remember – the figure from Germanic lore associated with winter solstice, season change and fertility. Krampus chases away wicked spirits, assures a bountiful growing season, symbolizes a right of passage. Realize he comes from a pre-Christian time before pagan iconography was assimilated, adapted, and sometimes demonized… Eventually as different belief systems came and went, and sometimes tried to get along, Santa Claus and Krampus started playing the roles of good cop – bad cop. Krampus bears a switch and a basket/sack to carry off naughty children. In modern times there seems to be a resurgence of interest in the idea of Krampus. Austria has some fantastic festivals in his honor. Someday I have to make it to a proper Krampuslauf!
…
…
Some more of our Krampus below. (Photographed in Akron, Ohio, November 2012)
Leave a Reply
Want to join the discussion?Feel free to contribute!